As we get into the heart of Occupational Therapy Month, this week we chat with Savanna Grife, MS, OTR/L, CFPS, about the many ways an occupational therapist can be creative with their patients, and why her clinical discipline of choice can be fun, challenging, and improvisational at the same time.

Jim: Hello everybody, welcome to The FOX Five, the series that explores the wonderful world of FOX Rehabilitation through an original list created by a FOX colleague. That colleague today is FOX occupational therapist, Savanna Grife. Savanna, welcome to The FOX Five.

Savanna: Hello, thank you for having me.

Jim: Savanna, what is your FOX Five today?

Savanna: My FOX Five is Five Ways Occupational Therapists Can Be Creative.

Jim: It's funny, I was in a meeting today with both physical and occupational therapists, and there was a physical therapist who conceded that occupational therapists are more creative. Can we confirm that today?

Savanna: Yeah, I think so.

Jim: It kind of comes with the territory, right? You're going to break that down today?

Savanna: Yeah, exactly we kind of have to be creative to motivate our patients to solve problems.

Jim: Alright, so what is Number One on your FOX Five?

Savanna: Number One is that we can fabricate our own adaptive equipment. We're doing activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living with patients, so depending on the diagnosis, the physical limitations, the cognitive impairments we're working with, we could see a whole variety of impairment within those ADLs or IADLs. It might be kind of hard to find something on the market, that in terms of adaptive equipment, targets exactly what we need. To give you an example, I created a l handled mirror for someone to inspect their feet. It was a person who had a wound on their foot and they couldn't reach down to see it. I took a selfie stick and duct taped a hand mirror from the Dollar Tree to it. I was like, “Here, just extend this stick and angle the mirror down there by your foot, and now you can see it, look.”

Jim: I think that's it. I don't think we have to do four more. That is totally creative, you making your own equipment.

Savanna: You got to do what you got to do.

Jim: Wow, where do we go from here, that was amazing! I don't know if this reference goes over your head, but do you know MacGyver?

Savanna: It's a movie or a show, right?

Jim: It's an old TV show where if you stuck MacGyver in a room and he had two pens, a match, and a stapler, he could make some incredible thing where he could get out of trouble.

Savanna: That’s me.

Jim: You’re MacGyver.

Savanna: Thanks.

Jim: That was just Number One, what do you have for Number Two on your list?

Savanna: Number Two is using ADLs or IADLs as means to an end. Usually when we see our patients, they're getting referred to us because of a problem they are having with dressing or they're having an issue with something specific, like an activity. We can actually use those activities as means to another end. For example, if we have a patient who loves to crochet, let’s say that it’s their hobby and they have weak pinch strength, we can practice pinching and crocheting at the same time. We can practice pinching the string, pinching the needles, and holding it real tight to improve that pinch.

Jim: This is great, you are making me want to become an OT. Alright, what is Number Three on your list?

Savanna: Number Three is playing games with your patients. I play games with my patients all the time and actually I was recently in a continuing education course where I learned that there is actually a term for this. It's called “gamification.” I use that word in my notes now to make it seem a little more skilled, but basically, I incorporate games like Jenga and cornhole in my sessions to make them more fun.

Jim: Fine motor skills, right?

Savanna: Yeah, right exactly. I found that patients like to compete with themselves. I'm like, “Okay, last time you got three bean bags in a row, this time you got to get four or five.” So, they are more motivated, they want to step on that balance pad, swing their arm, throw that bean bag, and try to get it in the hole. At the same time they're improving their balance.

Jim: Think about it, games are so important, because if you have something to strive for, you can almost visualize it, but if you're like, “Yeah, put this here,” what are you doing? If you have a challenge or goal, it’s more meaningful.

Savanna: I found that's pretty effective.

Jim: That brings us to Number Four on your FOX Five.

Savanna: Number Four is using nature. I've taken a patient outside for a walk to focus on dual task training. We're walking, but we're also playing I-spy, we're also looking for the birds or the squirrels to work on visual scanning and turning your head while you're walking for balance. If it's a nice day, go outside. A lot of our patients don't go outside regularly. Maybe they're scared to go out or they don't have someone who can take them out. Sometimes I will take a patient outside and we'll walk through the yard, and we'll work on balance and I'm like, “You know what, let's pick up all these sticks. Let's see how many pine cones we can find.” Use nature to our advantage.

Jim: That brings us to Number Five on your FOX Five.

Savanna: Yes, Number Five, I love this one, and it’s one of my personal favorites. I will give you two examples right off the bat. I had a patient who had a torn rotator cuff. He had limited range of motion in the shoulder. He had a kitten who really wanted to play, so we took one of those feather toys and I said, “Raise the toy up, and then let's raise it out.” Also, if a patient has a dog, direct them to stand on a balance pad and throw them a ball. Patients can practice balance, while playing with their dog.

Jim: On cue, I could see your dog stand up. Is that your dog or your brother-in-law’s dog?

Savanna: This is my brother-in-law's dog, her name is Scarlet and she's a golden retriever. She's very needy. I have a sheltie in here somewhere, her name is Penny. I don't know where she is.

Jim: I think the dog appreciated that pets got a shout out on this FOX Five episode.

Savanna: Yes, she did.